


the hope of it all

by bluetempest



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Break Up Talk, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27506827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetempest/pseuds/bluetempest
Summary: Quiet evenings were a rare commodity in Grace Sullivan’s life. So one day, when she found herself being able to enjoy such an evening at home, she was determined to enjoy it. But life had other plans and this perfect moment turned into the moment her heart broke.
Relationships: Rafael Aveiro/Main Character (Open Heart), Rafael Aveiro/Sora
Kudos: 3





	the hope of it all

**Author's Note:**

> This is my idea of how Grace (my MC) learned that Rafael & Sora had decided to get back together before Open Heart Second Year, from her point of view.

A quiet evening at home, wrapped up in her favourite blanket and ready to binge watch a show on Netflix, was Grace’s idea of paradise after an overwhelmingly busy couple of weeks. Sienna, Jackie and Bryce had all decided to go to Donahue’s together, leaving Grace and Elijah with their favourite spots on the couch, a tv remote and big mugs of hot chocolate. Grace had been waiting what felt like forever for this moment of peace, and nothing could ruin it for her. **  
**

Elijah had introduced Grace to _Avatar: The Last Airbender,_ and they made a point to at least watch a couple episodes a week together. Sometimes, Sienna would join them but it was mostly the two of them, enjoying each other’s company with Elijah explaining every little detail Grace might have otherwise missed. She loved every second of it.

“Okay, where were we?” She asked him.

“We finished season one last week, so we’re starting season two today!”

“I’m ready! Wait … No, I forgot the popcorn!” Grace groaned. 

“Oh no, that’s not good.” Elijah grinned at her.

“But I’m so comfortable and warm …” She pouted.

“Grace … What’s TV night without popcorn?”

“Fine, fine I’ll go get it …”

She ran to the kitchen as quickly as their small apartment’s space allowed, grabbed the huge bowl she had left sitting on the stove before she let herself fall back on the couch. Setting the bowl between the two of them, she made herself comfortable again. 

“Alright, we’re good to go now.” 

Elijah dramatically pointed the remote at the TV, and hit the play button. 

In the middle of the second episode, Grace’s phone illuminated with a new message on the coffee table. To her surprise, it was a text from Rafael and her heart skipped a beat. They hadn’t been able to properly catch up in the last two weeks, mostly because Grace’s schedule didn’t allow for much time off, but Rafael hadn’t reached out to her either. She had assumed he was also busy, but when she saw the content of the message, worry settled in her stomach. 

> _“Hey, are you busy? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”_

They may not have put a label on their relationship just yet, but there was something between them. Something romantic, which gave Grace butterflies in her stomach; she had not felt like this about anyone in a very long time. Her last long-term relationship had ended a couple of years ago on not so great terms and since then, she had focused on her studies and career. Until she met Rafael. And yet, in her experience, a text saying “I need to talk to you” never meant anything good. 

> _“Is everything okay? I’m home right now, you can drop by if you want.”_
> 
> _“Yeah, it’s okay. I’ll be there in 15?”_
> 
> _“Sounds good.”_

She set her phone away on the table again, and tried to focus on the last five minutes of the episode. When the credits rolled on, she realized she hadn’t caught much of it at all, and she turned to Elijah.

“Rafael is dropping by in the few minutes.”

“Oh? Is he okay?” Elijah asked.

“Apparently he has some news to tell me … I don’t know. But it shouldn’t take too long, so I’m up for a third episode if you are?” She tried to sound cheerful. 

“Hell yes! I can play a couple games with some friends, and we’ll dive back into the show when you’re ready.”

“Thanks Elijah, I appreciate it.”

-

The knock on the door came very shortly after and Grace opened it in an instant. The moment she saw the look in Rafael’s eyes, she knew she was right to worry. The fact that his “hello” came with only a little wave and not their usual hug did not help reassure her in the slightest. Rafael looked past her shoulder to see Elijah in the middle of a game, and then he found her gaze.

“Can we talk in private?” He asked her.

“Sure, it’s a beautiful evening, we can sit in the garden.”

Grace slipped on her shoes, and guided them to the small garden of their apartment complex; they sat on the only bench there, and for the first time, an uncomfortable silence settled over them. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” She finally asked.

“Yes, I promise.” He nodded. “I guess I just don’t know how … how to say this.”

“Raf … Be honest with me. That’s all I need.” She said. 

It wasn’t a lie either; she knew what he had to say would probably break her heart, but she needed the truth. Grace had been lied to in her previous relationship, and she didn’t want to be put in that position ever again. 

“Of course, I could never be anything other than honest with you.”

“So …” She prompted.

“My high school ex-girlfriend, Sora, moved back to Boston a few weeks ago. I’ve been showing her all the new places, taking a trip down memory lane …”

Grace’s heart dropped.

“And … We decided to give us another try.” He finished. 

“When?” That was the first question that came to her mind.

“Today. I came to tell you right away, I swear.”

“I believe you.” Her voice was shaking, but she meant it. “It’s just … Why? I thought we had something.”

“We do. We _did._ ” He corrected himself. “Sora and I have a long history. We were teens when we broke up, and when we reconnected, it felt like we hadn’t given our relationship a fair chance.” Rafael explained. 

They’ve known each other forever. Long history, as he said. How could she imagine competing with this kind of bond? In most situations, Grace would be the first person to tell someone to follow their heart. And if that was what Rafael’s heart wanted … She didn’t want to be a hypocrite, no matter how much it broke her heart.

“And what about us?” She finally asked. 

“I care about you Grace. That won’t change. And I’m hoping we can be friends … But I would also understand if you decided you didn’t want that.”

“No.”

Grace couldn’t imagine a life without Rafael anymore, not after everything that happened in her first year at Edenbrook. He had always been there for her. They had started as friends, and she had slowly started to fall for him. Even then, regardless of her feelings, she would handle being just friends. Everything was better than the alternative of not talking to him again.

“Of course I want to stay friends. You’re important to me Raf. I’m not going to lie to you, and tell you I don’t feel sad, because I do. But all I want is for you to be happy.” She said, looking at him with a small smile. 

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

“Just being yourself is enough. And thank you for telling me, and not simply …” _Betraying me._

“I wouldn’t have hidden this from you.”

Grace nodded, but she was trying to hold the tears in. A new silence settled over them. She didn’t want him to leave, but she knew she had to let him go. 

“Alright … I should get back to Elijah. We still have popcorn to finish.” She said, trying to sound joyful.

“If popcorn is involved, I best not keep you from it.”

“You know it!” 

-

She walked him back to the entrance of the building and they parted ways with a wave. When she reached the front door of the apartment, tears were running down her face without restraint. Grace stepped inside, and all of her roommates were in the living room. They had come back while she was gone. Grace tried to hide her face behind her hands, but she knew it had failed when she felt Sienna’s arms hugging her. 

“You’re gonna be okay, it’s okay to cry it out.” Sienna whispered in her ear.

Grace returned the hug almost instantly, and she let herself cry freely. 

“How do you know?” She managed to ask in between sobs.

“An EMT told a nurse back at Edenbrook when she asked about how Rafael was doing, then Danny heard and told me … When Elijah told us Rafael had stopped by, we came back right away.” Sienna explained.

“You didn’t have to …”

“Okay no.” Sienna said firmly. “We’re your friends, and we want to be there for you, and you can’t stop us.”

Grace raised her head from Sienna’s shoulder and saw Jackie, Elijah and Bryce sitting on the couch. At that moment, she felt so lucky to have such incredible friends. It did not soothe the hurt in her heart, but it still meant so much to her. Sienna walked her to the couch without a word and sat her down, a new mug of hot chocolate already ready in front of her. Bryce wrapped his arm around her shoulders as Sienna placed the mug in her hands. Elijah was rubbing soothing circles on her back and Jackie’s presence alone was comforting. Grace looked at each and everyone of them in turn.

“Thank you so much guys.”

“Of course.” Bryce simply said.

And then she told them everything. She cried more, but she felt safe and supported. Her friends were there for her, just as she was there for them when they needed her. They were her found family and Grace was grateful for them. 

When the sun rose again for a new day, the hurt in Grace’s heart was not healed. But she had hope that, with time, she would learn how to move on.


End file.
